<![CDATA[SoliForum - 3D Printing Community — CNC milling a Plexiglass LED sign]]> https://www.soliforum.com/topic/8620/cnc-milling-a-plexiglass-led-sign/ Sat, 13 Dec 2014 00:40:48 +0000 PunBB <![CDATA[Re: CNC milling a Plexiglass LED sign]]> https://www.soliforum.com/post/75017/#p75017 Hazer wrote:

Real men do it by hand with a dremel

I'm not that artistic, so I have to cheat smile. Looks good though.

]]> Sat, 13 Dec 2014 00:40:48 +0000 https://www.soliforum.com/post/75017/#p75017 <![CDATA[Re: CNC milling a Plexiglass LED sign]]> https://www.soliforum.com/post/75016/#p75016 Stevos758 wrote:

Drillman1 on ebay will be your new friend!

Already is smile

]]> Sat, 13 Dec 2014 00:39:27 +0000 https://www.soliforum.com/post/75016/#p75016 <![CDATA[Re: CNC milling a Plexiglass LED sign]]> https://www.soliforum.com/post/75010/#p75010 Real men do it by hand with a dremel

http://i.imgur.com/8beaqSZ.jpg

]]> Fri, 12 Dec 2014 23:59:17 +0000 https://www.soliforum.com/post/75010/#p75010 <![CDATA[Re: CNC milling a Plexiglass LED sign]]> https://www.soliforum.com/post/74998/#p74998 I have never used v carve. In cambam there is a setting for roughing clearance. I add 0.25mm for the initial cutting process and then run one more final pass at the final depth with the roughing clearance set to 0.

]]> Fri, 12 Dec 2014 21:15:31 +0000 https://www.soliforum.com/post/74998/#p74998 <![CDATA[Re: CNC milling a Plexiglass LED sign]]> https://www.soliforum.com/post/74995/#p74995 Drillman1 on ebay will be your new friend!

V carve pro should work good.

Try out a free trial of G wizard as well for optimal feeds and speeds.

]]> Fri, 12 Dec 2014 20:59:50 +0000 https://www.soliforum.com/post/74995/#p74995 <![CDATA[Re: CNC milling a Plexiglass LED sign]]> https://www.soliforum.com/post/74966/#p74966 I'm using V carve Pro.  I have some of those 2flute from ebay already on order. should be here today or Saturday.

]]> Fri, 12 Dec 2014 18:32:01 +0000 https://www.soliforum.com/post/74966/#p74966 <![CDATA[Re: CNC milling a Plexiglass LED sign]]> https://www.soliforum.com/post/74947/#p74947 What CAM software are you using? 

For plastics I use a cheap 2 flute end mill from kyocera. They can be found on ebay in sets of 2 for about $12. I have never used these bits for pocketing though.

]]> Fri, 12 Dec 2014 14:38:36 +0000 https://www.soliforum.com/post/74947/#p74947 <![CDATA[Re: CNC milling a Plexiglass LED sign]]> https://www.soliforum.com/post/74943/#p74943 Thanks for the bit info. I'll have to see how much that Upcut bit cost.  It's done with 3d milling. 
Couple of mistakes I made were.
1. Wrong type of plexiglass.  (should be cast not the extruded I have on hand)
2. Wrong type of bit (was using a dremel rotozip bit - only 2 flute bit I had on hand)
3. Milled from the front instead of the back.  (Milling from back will leave a smooth front finish and should show up better when lit)
4. Still new to milling so I'm sure there are other settings I could set to get a better finish. smile

I will be doing this again with a 2 flute ball end bit and milling from the back.  I'm still learning about milling, so I will have to see if I can figure out how to do a finishing pass.

]]> Fri, 12 Dec 2014 12:57:13 +0000 https://www.soliforum.com/post/74943/#p74943 <![CDATA[Re: CNC milling a Plexiglass LED sign]]> https://www.soliforum.com/post/74835/#p74835 Very Cool Indeed!!

]]> Thu, 11 Dec 2014 15:23:18 +0000 https://www.soliforum.com/post/74835/#p74835 <![CDATA[Re: CNC milling a Plexiglass LED sign]]> https://www.soliforum.com/post/74834/#p74834 Awesome!

I want to try now!

Id proudly hang that up!

Ok thoughts.

I've heard nothing but awesome things from Onsrud Upcut
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8FVAQep7Xs

It's hard to tell if you ar 3d maching or just 2d? I would stick with 2d on this. I would try and do very fine step over on the finish pass to get a consistent surface finish on the x/y plane. Also I would stay shallow. Google acrylic light up signs and you will see what I am referring too.

Now take this with a grain of salt as I have never made a sign out of acrylic. Just thoughts. I could be dead wrong on the finish passes.

]]> Thu, 11 Dec 2014 15:19:55 +0000 https://www.soliforum.com/post/74834/#p74834 <![CDATA[CNC milling a Plexiglass LED sign]]> https://www.soliforum.com/post/74195/#p74195 Finally got around to trying my hand at making one of these LED Plexiglass signs milled on a CNC.
I admit the 1st results are not the best, but I'm think they turned out pretty good for my 1st shot at this. Was using the wrong bit (cause I didn't have the correct one for this), but it is on order now that I know I can mill Plexiglass.
I have a cheap 3040 CNC I got off ebay. I mainly use it for milling PCB's for my projects...Till now smile .
Here is the original artwork from my brother's company so you can see what it should look like:
http://www.12voltleds4u.com/Custom_Switch/CNC/c_run.jpg
And here what I achieved:
http://www.12voltleds4u.com/Custom_Switch/CNC/IMG_5894.JPG
http://www.12voltleds4u.com/Custom_Switch/CNC/IMG_5892.JPG
http://www.12voltleds4u.com/Custom_Switch/CNC/IMG_5895.JPG
http://www.12voltleds4u.com/Custom_Switch/CNC/IMG_5888.JPG
http://www.12voltleds4u.com/Custom_Switch/CNC/IMG_5889.JPG

]]> Sat, 06 Dec 2014 23:49:42 +0000 https://www.soliforum.com/post/74195/#p74195